MuffinsamericanEasy

Molasses Ginger Wheat Muffins

Name: Molasses Ginger Wheat Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1½ cups (180 g) whole wheat flour; ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour; 2 tsp (10 g) baking powder; ½ tsp (2½ g) baking soda; 2½ tsp (6 g) ground ginger; 1 tsp (2½ g) ground cinnamon; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cloves; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; ¾ cup (255 ml) unsulfured molasses; ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral vegetable oil; 2 large eggs, at room temperature, room temperature; ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature, room temperature; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract; 2 tbsp (25 g) coarse sanding sugar or turbinado sugar, for topping (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, deeply spiced muffins made with whole wheat flour, unsulfured molasses, and warm ginger. The combination of dark molasses and ginger creates a rich, complex flavor that's both comforting and sophisticated. These muffins have a moist crumb and work equally well for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 47 min
Makes: 12 muffins

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C)
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups
Bring eggs and buttermilk to room temperature for better mixing
Have all dry ingredients measured before starting

1
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and kosher salt.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly combined with no lumps in the baking powder or soda
Tip: Sift the baking powder and baking soda with a few passes of the whisk to prevent lumps in your batter
2
Combine wet ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the molasses, vegetable oil, and room-temperature eggs until well combined.
- Add the room-temperature buttermilk and vanilla extract, whisking until smooth.
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Ready when: The wet mixture is smooth and emulsified with no streaks of molasses remaining
Tip: Room-temperature ingredients emulsify better and create a smoother, more tender crumb
3
Fold dry into wet
- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in the large bowl.
- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, fold gently until just combined—do not overmix.
- There should be a few streaks of flour visible in the batter.
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Ready when: Batter is combined with just a few dry streaks visible; no overmixed appearance
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and toughens the muffins. Stop as soon as you see no dry flour at the bottom of the bowl
4
Fill muffin cups
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
- If using coarse sugar topping, sprinkle about ½ teaspoon over each muffin cup.
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Ready when: Each cup is filled to the same level; sugar is evenly distributed across tops
Tip: Use an ice cream scoop to dispense batter evenly—this ensures even baking across all muffins
5
Bake muffinsOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the muffin tin in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven and bake for 20–22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
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Ready when: A toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs; the tops are golden and spring back lightly when touched
Tip: Do not overbake—molasses-based muffins dry out quickly. Check at 20 minutes so the interiors stay moist
6
Cool and turn out
- Let the muffin tin sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
- Run a small knife or offset spatula around the edge of each muffin to loosen them, then turn the tin upside down and gently tap or lift each muffin out onto a wire cooling rack.
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Ready when: Muffins release cleanly from the pan and are firm enough to handle without tearing
Tip: If a muffin sticks, gently run a knife around it again and try once more—don't force it or the top will tear

Good to know

Tips

Molasses varies in viscosity by brand and temperature. If your molasses is very thick, warm it gently (microwave for 15–20 seconds) to make it easier to mix and measure
Do not skip the room-temperature eggs and buttermilk—cold ingredients prevent proper emulsification and result in a grainy crumb
Whole wheat flour contains bran that absorbs more liquid than all-purpose flour, so don't add extra liquid or the muffins will be dense
If you prefer less spice intensity, reduce ground ginger to 2 teaspoons and ground cinnamon to ¾ teaspoon

Make ahead

Batter can be mixed and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; fill muffin cups straight from the fridge without thawing (add 2–3 minutes to baking time). Baked muffins can be cooled and frozen for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature or reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10–12 minutes until warm.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (in an airtight container): up to 3 days. Refrigerator (in an airtight container): up to 5 days. Freezer (individually wrapped or in freezer bags): up to 3 months. To reheat: warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10–12 minutes until soft and warm, or microwave for 20–30 seconds per muffin.

Substitutions

buttermilk, at room temperature → Plain Greek yogurt thinned with milk (¾ cup yogurt whisked with 2–3 tablespoons milk). Provides tanginess and moisture. Use the same total volume. The batter may be slightly thicker.
neutral vegetable oil → Melted unsalted butter or coconut oil. Butter adds richness; coconut oil works equally well. Use the same volume.
ground ginger → 1 tablespoon (6 g) grated fresh ginger plus 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) ground ginger. Fresh ginger adds a brighter, more peppery note. Mix into the wet ingredients, then add dry ingredients.
all-purpose flour → Additional whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour. Using all whole wheat will create a denser, slightly earthier muffin. Reduce baking powder by ¼ teaspoon to compensate.